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What a serious citation means in each state
A serious citation is a finding in the top severity class a state uses, and each state names that class differently: Type A in California, Type 1 in Illinois, and immediate jeopardy in most other states we cover.
“Serious” is not one legal term. Each state writes its own top label on an inspection, and the red tag on a profile uses that label.
A serious citation in this count is a Type A finding, or a finding stored at severity 3 or higher, on an inspection in the last 24 months. The figure counts homes, not findings. It matches the table on /data.
On a facility profile, the red tag can be narrower than this count. The note under each state says what that profile calls its top tag.
What is the red tag in each state?
| State | Red tag on a profile |
|---|---|
| California | Type A or immediate jeopardy |
| Illinois | Type 1 |
| Pennsylvania | Immediate jeopardy, revocation, substantiated abuse, or a provisional license |
| Arizona | Immediate jeopardy |
| Oregon | Level 4, labeled IJ |
| Washington | Immediate jeopardy |
| Minnesota | Immediate-jeopardy flag |
| Missouri | Immediate-jeopardy flag |
| Texas | Immediate-jeopardy flag |
| Utah | Immediate jeopardy, a suspension, or a revocation |
| Colorado | Level E on assisted living; CMS J, K, or L on a nursing home |
California
On a California profile, the red tag is Type A or immediate jeopardy. Type B is not that tag. Type A vs. Type B explains the two classes.
Illinois
On an Illinois profile, the red tag is Type 1. Type 2 and Type 3 are not. Illinois classifies these violations under 77 Ill. Adm. Code Part 295.
Pennsylvania
On a Pennsylvania profile, immediate jeopardy, revocation, substantiated abuse, and a provisional license are red tags. A civil money penalty is not a red tag. Personal care homes follow 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2600. Assisted living residences follow Chapter 2800. The office is the Department of Human Services, not the Department of Health.
Arizona
On an Arizona profile, the red tag is immediate jeopardy. High risk and enforcement are not that label. The count of homes with a serious citation still includes a finding stored at severity 3 or higher. Inspections are published on AZ Care Check. The licensing rules are A.A.C. Title 9, Chapter 10.
Oregon
On an Oregon profile, level 4 is labeled IJ. Level 3 is not. This count still includes severity 3. Assisted living surveys are under OAR 411-054. The license lookup is the Oregon long-term care licensing site.
Washington
On a Washington assisted living profile, the red tag is immediate jeopardy. On a nursing-home profile, scope-and-severity rows J through L are also labeled IJ. The count of homes with a serious citation still includes a finding stored at severity 3 or higher.
Minnesota
On a Minnesota profile, the red tag is an immediate-jeopardy flag. Other inspection text is shown as written.
Missouri
On a Missouri profile, the red tag is an immediate-jeopardy flag. A finding stored at severity 4 without that flag is labeled Complaint or High Risk, not IJ. Citations use 19 CSR tags. The lookup is the DHSS long-term care search.
Texas
On a Texas profile, an immediate-jeopardy flag is labeled IJ. Other words on the inspection are shown as written.
Utah
Utah does not publish a numerical severity scale. On a profile, immediate jeopardy, a suspension, or a revocation is labeled IJ. A finding stored at severity 3 is labeled Serious, not IJ. This count still includes severity 3. The license office is the Division of Licensing and Background Checks (DLBC), inside the Department of Health and Human Services.
Colorado
On a Colorado assisted living profile, the red tag is Level E, immediate jeopardy. On a Colorado nursing-home profile, the red tag is a CMS letter J, K, or L. Those are not the same scale. This count still includes severity 3 or higher. Assisted living is licensed by CDPHE under 6 CCR 1011-1 Chapter 7. Assisted living and nursing homes explains why the two records stay separate.
The count of homes, by state, is on serious citations at memory care homes, by state.
How often are homes inspected?
A home inspected more often has more chances to be cited. Three schedules we have confirmed:
- California inspects every residential care facility for the elderly at least once a year, unannounced (Health and Safety Code § 1569.33).
- Oregon surveys assisted living and residential care facilities every 24 months (OAR 411-054-0105).
- Washington DSHS says it inspects each assisted living facility at least every 18 months.
How should I compare homes in two states?
Compare a home with others in its own state first. States label findings differently, inspect on different schedules, and write to different rules.
Across states, use one measure: whether the home had a serious citation in the last 24 months, as counted on /data. Then read the finding itself. The date, the rule cited, and the inspector's description say more than the label.
Common questions
Is a serious citation the same in every state?
No. Each state writes its own top label: Type A in California, Type 1 in Illinois, and immediate jeopardy in most other states we cover. Pennsylvania also treats revocation, substantiated abuse, and a provisional license as red tags on a profile.
What is the most serious citation in California memory care?
On a California profile, the red tag is Type A or immediate jeopardy. Type B is not that tag.
Does a serious citation mean the home is unsafe today?
It records what the state found on the inspection date. Read the date, the finding text, and any later inspection of the same home.
Why does the StarlynnCare count include findings the profile does not tag red?
The count uses one rule across states: a Type A finding, or a finding stored at severity 3 or higher, in the last 24 months. Some profiles tag only the state's top label, so the count can be wider than the red tags.
Can I compare serious citations between two states?
Only roughly. States label, schedule, and write findings differently. Compare a home with others in its own state first, then use the same 24-month count on /data across states.